In my mind I keep pairing Carlo with the Flintstones because I enjoyed those posts so much - but going back through your archives I realized you said Vinci was with TerryToons for 30 years!I'm obviously doing myself a great disservice by only paying attention to what he did with HB's limited animation.

I might be wrong but most American males prefer girls breasts and they don't care much about their ass. Those old animators have the same taste that I do, I think thick thighs and a rotund ass are the most sensuous parts of a woman. I guess is also because I'm Brazilian and that's all you see in Rio, thighs and ass, thighs and ass...Carlo Vinci knows what's matters in life.

only 7 comments, let's use this opportunity to ask a question to John.

I love your blog, it is full of informations and I will try to apply most of them on the Short I am starting in few weeks but I didn't really get what you called the CalArt style few posts back.

I am not related to that school and I don't really care if you like them or not but I would really like to understand what you call the CalArt style and where can we see it applied.

I went to the CalArt website and checked the following page http://fv.calarts.edu/main/streaming/2006/charanim.htmlwhich is last years CalArt showcase of the Character animation program.

I haven't watched all the shorts but from the few I watched I can't really see some sort of common denominator and even less a recurrent trend similar to the regular Nick or Cartoon networks shows apart maybe the "CuddleBee Hugs'n'Such" short.

The only thing I know about this school is that most of the guys recognised as the best guys in the animation business studied there. I am not american and just an animation student living abroad so I would really appreciate if you could explain this CalArt style again.Thanks John

Hey John, great find. I really dig rubber hose animation. Do you know when the archive is going to start those late night screenings? Thanks for linking up that Vinci compilation too. I did some studies from it and posted them on our blog if you'd care to critique them. And another thanks for the latest post on acting and re-acting. It's really given me something extra to look for and observe when people watching!

Iron Giant was a Don Bluth Production. Bluth was an old Disney animator from the old days. So of course Bluth has a Disney-esque style in his films. That's where he learned and grew and eventually broke free from, to make his own films. Bluth made better films because if you look at his monsters in his films - they are absolutely wicked! Often times Bluth took animated films where Disney was/is afraid to go. I'm a big fan of Don Bluth's works.

I'm not sure if it's fair to blame the students of this school for the state of animation these days. They are being influenced by what they see every day on CN and Nick. And those stations buy the shows based on what they think the target audience is going to buy. And so - that dude/dudes who came up with that Fairly Oddparents (example) type of cartoon now heavily influenced the accepted content of cartoons these days. If one thing works, then reproduce it as much as possible to become successful - and this is really a producer/director issue more than which school these artists attended. Fishing thru some profiles - I can totally see where at least 1 particular style comes from and why it's put out that way and favored over all others. Because that 1 person is the boss and its a trickle down effect - the boss has this certain style and all the underlings are expected to draw like that person. And hiring and such is based upon whether or not a newb artist can copy in that certain style and produce the cartoon for show.

CalArts is really just trying to get their graduates employed somewhere (like any college) - and if they have to bend to a certain style to get employed, that's what they have to do. And right now - animation is probably the most difficult profession to try and struggle into. With only a mere 73% job placement rate makes it extremely competitive and hard. And if one must copy Powerpuff Girls style to get a job - one has to do that regardless of personal talents or skills.

I didn't go to CalArts btw. My experience came from life in Seattle, and producing animated Laser Light Shows (of all things). My influences as a cartoonist came from the crappy 1980's cartoons, you - Mr. K, and stuff like Ed, Edd and Eddy. There is a whole generation of new artists whom are now graduating from art school who only knew cartoons from 1980 and up.

I thought there's no use getting.. Into heavy petting... It only leads to sorrow, and... seat wetting. - RHPS

What I find interesting is how each motion is its own action. It's like a formalized dance, like ballet or hula. This makes for a very clear and uncluttered, yet information-dense, kind of communication. Most people will have no problem knowing exactly what's going on.

Compare that with today's swearing wallpaper animators, and you'll see that something was definitely lost along the way.

Hey, John K- I really enjoyed your essay on The Honeymooners in the last post and the way you showed how their comedic skills can influence storytelling. I licensed The Honeymooners from Viacom in the late '80s and produced a comic book series based on the TV show. At about the same time you were working on "Mighty Mouse" and created an episode that echoed The Honeymooners, and I thought you really nailed it. I asked Viacom to send me a copy for reference and viewed it a million times while creating the comics. Your work was a big influence and it helped me to try and push the envelope graphically, and to loosen up my storytelling.Then a few years later you created R&S and my head exploded. Great stuff that, in my opinion, still holds up. I may not agree with every view you have, but I want to thank you for the inspiration you've given me.

I was just about to say Iron Giant was Brad Bird, as in "The Simpsons", "The Critic", "King of the HIll" and "The Incredibeles". I believe he started as an animator on "The Fox and The Hound".

I think it's said again and again here that the industry is run by Execs with MBA's. If you thinks it's hard to take creative notes in this industry you should try working in Preschool Animation and get all your notes from a Research Director with a PHD in Children's Psychology and Development. Kill me now...please!

A big thing missing in this industry, at least in NYC, is the classic mentor. Everyone is too protective, as if there is something to hide. Which is why we all come here to John's blog. It's amazing to see how many new people he is fostering and how many artist he is willing to meet and tries to teach. Not only that he will actually encourage you to look at someone that is just starting and doing it right. I have my bad habits from working in this industry for 12yrs+ however I am always looking to learn. John is a great mentor, and I thank him.